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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WM. S. LOUGHBOROUGH, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. l

DIVIDED RAILROAD-CAR AXLE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,056, dated June 22, 1852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SWAYZE LoUGHBoRoUGH, of Viashington, District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tubular Axles for Rail- Cars, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a section of tube A, the shafts a, a, and wheels fel, c'. Fig. 2, is a section of the tube A, only. Fig. 3, is a section of either shaft a, a. Fig. 4, is a perspective of the entire axle, tube A, and shafts a, a, without the wheels.

The axle is formed as seen in Fig. l, of three distinct parts, viz. tube A, and short shafts a, a.'

A, extends from one wheel to the other with a flange Z), on each end that enters a groove u, in the hub of the wheel.

a, a, are conical spindles to which the wheel is attached in the same manner that it is to common axles, and being inserted into A, they meet in the center at j'.

A, may be made either of cast, or wrought iron, but a, a, should be made of wrought iron.

The ring n, is bolted to the flange on the hub, which alone would secure the proper adjustment of the several parts by clasping the flange b, of the tube, but in addition to this, the present construction of truck frames would prevent the wheels from spreading in case the ring n, should give way, but, as the strain against the wheel is at the bottom and its flange being between the rails of the track, a side pressure against the flange would naturally press the wheels together.-

c, is that part of the semi axle surrounded by the wheel.

e, is the journal.

CZ, d, CZ, are the orifices through which the oil is applied, and are closed by screw caps to prevent leakage.

The tube may be turned as required when it is oiled by an ordinary clamp wrench. The friction in the tube will be seen to be only what arises from that part of a revolution made by one wheel more than the other in passing curves, hence will require but occasional oiling.

It will be observed that the strain upon the shafts a, a, will decrease toward the center between the wheels, consequently they may be reduced in size at this end, and still retain suflicient strength wit-h less weight, and by adding to these conic spindles a tube of corresponding internal form and size I am enabled to give to the tube in the center more weight with the same external diameter, where much more strength is required, from the fact that the strain from both wheels concentrate at this point, z'. e., the effect resulting from a side pressure at the bottom of the wheels, is an upward pressure in the center of the tube, where the semi axles meet, and the strain in the tube increasing toward this point, in the same proportion that it decreases in the semi axles with the cylindric form of these axles, and tube,-the weight and strength are greatly disproportioned. But, in my plan of providing for the independent action of the wheels, very much of this strain being obviated, and the strength of the tube and axles being also increased, a double security is obtained.

By continuing the tube to the wheels, and having the flange on the hub encircle the end of the tube, the upward strain at each end, resulting in part from the inner pressure at the bottom of the wheels, and partly from the downward pressure of the load, is thus brought to bear equally on the upper and lower sides of said tube, while, in Mr. Nichols axle, this strain is only upon the lower side.

As will be seen in the following example, viz, by inserting a round stick into a tube and prying down the end of the stick, the strain in the end of the tube is only on the lower side. But, the effect in my arrangement may be shown by supposing a grooved ring to be applied to the stick to encircle the end of the tube, answering to the groove u, in the hub of the wheel, thus, instead of the strain coming entirely, as above shown, on the lower, it is by this ad* justment divided and brought to bear with equal force upon the upper side of the tube, and by clasping the end of the tube in this manner, it will be impossible for it to burst.

I think it must be seen that by this method of coupling the several' parts, it constitutes the same specific improvement on Mr. Gardners arrangement in which the end of the two tubes being exposed the same at each end of the single tube in Mr. Nichols, be-

sides, by connecting the tube with the semiy axle, as in Mr.' Nichols application, the axle is entirely unprotected by the tube, where it enters the wheel,-but, this being the usual point of failure my` plan will render it doubly secure by connecting the tube with the hub of the Wheel, and also, by preventing further accident, in case such failure should take place, by the great security which thiscombination brings to the several parts.

In Mr. Gardners arrangement the effect is the same as in Nichols, the strain centering in the whole axle with his divided tube, the same as it does in the whole tube, with the divided axle-but, I claim that the strength in all parts of my arrangement is in just and equal proportion to the strain or friction of those parts. It will be recollected'also, that in Mr. Cleavelands divided axle the liability of failure in the movable boxes, levers, and anchors which are necessary to work those boxes, is extremely great-besides, every revolution of the Wheel produces more, or less, friction on the jour* nals in those boxes. But, with my tubular arrangement there is no friction between the rwheels, except when one revolves faster than the other and then, only, what arises from that part of a revolution which one wheel gains over the other in passing curves &c.

I do not claim surrounding a divided axle i with a tube, neither do I claim making semi axles of a conical form-but,

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The conical semiaxle a, in combination with the tube A, constructed as described, for the double purpose of giving the greatest strength to the axle itself, with a given weight of metal and of increasing the strength of the tube in the center, without a corresponding increase of the external diameter thereof.

Again .I do not claim a hollow divided tubev attached rigidly to the wheels and revolving upon an undivided axle to which it is secured by flanges, rings and bolts, but,

Vhat I do claim, is-

2. The peculiar manner of coupling the wheels and semiaxles to the hollow tube surrounding said axle, by the use of theA groove in the hub of the wheel into which the flange o-f the tube enters in combination with the ringY n. Secured to the wheel by bolts as described for the threefold purpose, first, of enabling the wheel and its semiaxle to revolve independent of the tube, and of strengthing the axle at its weakest pointwhere it enters the wheel, and lastly, to

`prevent the end of the tube from splitting out, by thus removing half the strain from the lower, to thevupper side, in the manner above set forth. l

WM. S. LOUGHBOROUGH. Vitnesses:

IV. M. FERGUSON, CHARLES DE SELDING. 

